NYC truck attack suspect charged with 8 counts of murder, terrorism

By

Ray Downs

NYPD officers watch as workers continue to collect evidence around a Home Depot truck used to strike pedestrians leaving eight dead in New York City on October 31. The suspect, Sayfullo Saipov, was charged with eight counts of murder Tuesday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 21 (UPI) -- The man accused of driving a truck into pedestrians in Manhattan last month, killing eight people, was indicted on murder and terrorism charges Tuesday.

The Department of Justice charged Sayfullo Saipov, 29, with eight counts of murder in aid of racketeering, 12 counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, and one count of violence and destruction of a motor vehicle resulting in death.

"Consumed by hate and a twisted ideology, Sayfullo Saipov allegedly barreled down a pedestrian walkway and bicycle path on a sunny afternoon on the West Side of Manhattan, killing eight innocent people and injuring at least a dozen others," acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said in a statement. "As the scores of videos and images on his cellphone showed, Saipov's depraved use of a rental truck as a weapon of terror was allegedly in support of the terrorist organization [Islamic State]."

The Justice Department said Saipov rented a flatbed truck in New Jersey and drove it across the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan on Halloween to carry out the deadliest terrorist attack in New York City since 9/11 by driving into crowded bike lanes and mowing down several bikers and pedestrians.

According to the department, Saipov began planning the attack more than a year ago and chose to use a flatbed truck "to inflict maximum damage against civilians."

After carrying out his attack, Saipov was shot by a New York City police officer and arrested. He was taken to a hospital to recover from the shooting and allegedly told authorities he wanted to display Islamic State flags in his hospital room and said he felt good about what he had done.